An engaging online survey doesn’t do much if you don’t give a proper survey introduction. ☝️

Survey researchers claim that if survey creators add a neat introduction to their online surveys, respondents are more likely to complete the entire survey and provide thoughtful answers.

Here’s an employee survey introduction example:

Hey there! 👋 We’re curated this survey to understand how well you’re adapting to this whole work-from-home setup. We’d love to understand if there’s anything we can do from our end to help you adapt and stay productive throughout the day. Please take this quick survey (shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes, we promise). Thank you.

PS: We’ll send pizzas to the first 10 survey respondents 🍕

Worry not, friend. In this blog, we’ll teach you how to write a survey introduction and let your respondents know what the survey is about.

How to Write an Introduction to a Survey That Gets Responses?

You don’t want your respondents to click on ‘no thanks’ or ‘pass’ to your online survey, do you? First impressions matter– and the first 5 seconds can make or break your survey’s success. That’s why your introduction is crucial in these moments.

Well, take a look at one of the survey introduction examples:

“Hi, Alex!

Thanks for being an awesome customer! We absolutely love having people like you in our community and value your feedback every day.

We know that the best way to improve our product and experience is to hear from people who use it every single day- people like YOU! So, we sincerely appreciate your insight because it helps us build better customer experiences.

Your answers and information will only ever be used to improve your experience and never sold to others. We’ve got you.

Thanks for your continued support. Stay Safe!

Your favorite grocery store.

Here's a quick survey with a survey introduction template you can adapt:

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The Psychology Behind Effective Survey Introductions

Sometimes certain survey introductions perform better than the others, but understanding why can help you draft the most effective one. Research in behavioural psychology shows that:

Reciprocity - Offering some kind of incentive makes respondents give their time to complete your survey
Social proof - Mentioning how many people have completed your survey increases participation
Personalization - Addressing respondents by their name increases engagement by up to 26%
Scarcity - Limited-time surveys create urgency and boost completion rates

When an online survey is to be taken at the end of purchase or as feedback, it should contain all the necessary elements as they are present in the one above. Those include:

Addressing the customer by name
Thanking them for being a customer
Personalizing experience
Protecting personal information and details
Utmost importance to the customer

There are various companies and new ventures that look for improvement and updates according to the customer’s needs, but they lack the proper approach. A properly executed survey is all we need to grab the customer’s attention and make them interested in giving valuable feedback for a smooth and fluid experience in the long run.

Survey Introduction Examples: 9 Tips & Best Practices

Things to do:

1. Providing Necessary Information

Mentioning the name of the organization goes a long way in creating a connection between the customers and the company.
The goal of the survey should always be honestly stated.
A trigger response should be created by the use of words.
What would you do with the information provided it should always be conveyed properly.

Example – “We’d like to know what you think about our product and rest assured, this information is safe with us.”

2. Maintain Anonymity

The user has the right to know what would happen with the personal information they are providing
Learn more about conducting ethical surveys and how anonymity plays a key role in building trust and protecting respondent data.
Adding a link to the privacy statement of the company will reflect transparency and honesty that anonymity is indeed maintained.

Example – In the end, mention “…all the information you just provided will remain anonymous.”

3. Create An Incentive

Bring up the objective of an incentive, such as a coupon or a game at the end of the survey.
This will create an interest quotient in the mind of the person who is filling out the survey.
A well-chosen incentive will always work favorably as it will grab the attention of the people.
The focus should always be on what’s in it for them.

4. Target The Audience

Targeting the audience and talking about their gain should always be the main goal

For example, asking a computer professional about the medical aspects is not ideal, so the target should be to prepare the survey based on the audience.

Segmentation-based survey introductions can increase relevance and completion rates compared to generic introductions.

5. Be Concise and Clear

The idea and approach should not be vague.
A clear and to-the-point approach will attract more reactions and responses.
The objective of the survey should be transparent.
The ideal survey introduction length should be long enough to provide context but short enough to maintain interest to be aligned with the survey introduction best practices

6. Inviting Atmosphere

Words and expressions used should be inviting to the audience, then only it will attract the utmost traction
Just mentioning, “Please fill out the survey to help us get better”, would be neglected by the customer in no time.

But at the same time, if the statement is- “You seem to have enjoyed shopping here, please help us make your experience better for the next time”- the traction, as well as response, would be multiplied.

7. Enhance Brand Recognition

Adding a logo of your company on the top of the survey will add a personal touch and a sense of recognition to the survey. In short, white-label your surveys to make it all about you.
It will attract the absolute target audience.

8. Use Emoticons Strategically

Using emoticons in the questionnaire introduction works in creating a light environment and makes the survey form look like a fun thing to do.
It reflects the personal and fun relationship between the customer and the company.

9. Include a Thoughtful Thank You Note In The End

A simple thank you, in the end, will show the customer empathy and appreciation.

“Thank you so much for putting in your response and adding value to our service. We appreciate your time and patience.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Survey Introductions

Even with the best intentions, some of these common mistakes can have an impact on your survey response rates:

Being too formal or impersonal - Corporate language creates distance between you and respondents
Overpromising survey length - Saying "just 2 minutes" for a 10-minute survey destroys trust
Asking for personal information upfront - This creates immediate resistance
Using technical terminology - Complex language reduces completion rates
Hiding the true purpose - Lack of transparency leads to abandoned surveys
Making participation feel obligatory - Pressure tactics reduce quality of responses

When these points are put under consideration, the survey introduction becomes easy-going, readable, and even interesting for the customers.

Survey Introduction: Question Types to Include

Then comes the types of questions that can be asked in a survey. Questionnaires help in rearranging the answers properly. These questions can vary according to the requirement, company brand, profile, etc.

1. Open-ended Questions

Open-ended questions give the freedom to write long answers without any word restriction.

Questions like ‘How was your childhood?” and ‘What is it like to live in XYZ?’ enable the customer to put in their response without any limit for words.

2. Closed-Ended Questions

These questions are mainly of yes/no, true/false type. Usually, choice-bearing questions with no more than one word of an answer are one of the many survey introduction examples to make your audience complete the surveys.

customer satisfaction template. — *Close-ended question template from SurveySparrow*

Did you like the dress? Yes/No

Do you like Spanish? Yes/No

Do you like living in the US? Yes/No

3. Rating Questions

These questions enable the customer to put in their responses in the form of the number of smileys, stars, hearts, ticks, etc. The rating suggests whether the response is satisfactory, good, or poor.

4. Multiple-choice Questions

One of the other important and wise ways for your survey introduction examples is to include multiple-choice questions. This helps in getting the responses under a proper set of answers.

How old are you?

a)10-20

b)20-30

c)30-40

d)More than 40

5. Picture Choice Questions

Picture choice questions in surveys bring a splash of color and imagery to the data collection process. Imagine being asked, “Which landscape speaks to your soul?” with images of a serene beach, a bustling city, a tranquil forest, and a snow-capped mountain to choose from.

Or consider a question like, “Which meal looks most appetizing to you?” accompanied by mouth-watering pictures of varieties of burgers like this.

survey-introduction — *Picture Choice Question Template from SurveySparrow*

These visually engaging questions not only make surveys more interactive but also tap into our instinctive responses, revealing preferences and choices that words alone might not fully capture.

6. Demographic Questions

Demographic questions are simple yet powerful tools in surveys, as they gather basic but important information about people. These questions are straightforward and focus on key aspects of our identity and background.

For instance, a typical demographic question about age might ask,

What is your highest level of education?

a) High School

b) Higher Secondary

c) Graduate

d) Post Graduate

e) Other

This helps to understand the educational qualifications of the respondents.

Another common question is about gender, with options such as ‘Male’, ‘Female’, ‘Non-binary’, or even ‘Prefer not to say’. This question helps in understanding the gender composition of the survey participants.

Things To Consider While Crafting Survey Introductions

Now that we've got off on the right foot on how to start and proceed with the questions, it is time for some more pointers for crafting effective survey introductions:

1. Mention the name of the organization

The name of the organization is an important aspect of generating traction and a feeling of trust amongst the customers.

2. Clearly mention the goal of the survey

The goal of the online survey should be as clear as water. The improvement in working, changes in delivery, product packaging, anything, and any change should be mentioned to the customer in clear and apt words.

3. Mention the time required to complete the survey

The proper time that would be taken to write the whole survey should be mentioned at the beginning itself. Time is money, so mention the time required in the beginning only. Whether it will take 10 minutes, 5 minutes, or even a minute, it should be mentioned before the start of it.

The people who are filling out the form should be aware of the time they will be spending on your website for it. If a customer starts filling out the survey form that extends up to a military of 30-40 questions, he/she may not even complete the same.

Industry-Specific Survey Introduction Examples

Different industries require different approaches to survey introductions. Here are examples tailored to specific sectors:

Healthcare Survey Introduction Example

"Your health matters to us at [Hospital Name]. To continue providing exceptional care, we'd appreciate 3 minutes of your time to share your recent experience. All responses are confidential and will directly influence our service improvements. Thank you for helping us help others."

E-commerce Survey Introduction Example

"Thanks for your recent purchase at [Store Name]! We'd love to know about your shopping experience in this quick 2-minute survey. As a thank you, we'll email you a 10% discount code for your next purchase. Your feedback helps us create a better shopping experience for everyone."

Education Survey Introduction Example

"At [School Name], student experience drives our improvements. This brief 4-minute survey will help us enhance our teaching methods and course offerings. Your anonymous feedback is incredibly valuable to current and future students. Thank you for contributing to our educational community."

5 Survey Introduction Examples

1. Mystery Shopping Questionnaire

survey-introduction-examples — *Mystery Shopping Survey Template from SurveySparrow*

This introduction sets the stage for the respondent to understand their role as a ‘mystery shopper’. It emphasizes the importance of their covert role and honest feedback, which is crucial for such surveys. The assurance of anonymity encourages candidness.

2. Salon Evaluation Survey

survey-introduction-examples — *Salon Evaluation Survey Template from SurveySparrow*

This introduction is warm and welcoming, reflecting the personal care ethos of a salon. It acknowledges the client’s patronage and positions their feedback as a direct contributor to enhancing service quality, making the respondent feel valued and involved.

3. Customer Exit Survey

survey-introduction-examples — *Customer Exit Survey Template from SurveySparrow*

The phrase ‘as you bid us goodbye’ ties the survey to the customer’s recent experience, making it relevant. It highlights the brevity of the survey and the value of the customer’s feedback in improving future interactions and encouraging participation.

4. Movie Theatre Experience Survey

survey-introduction-examples — *Movie Theater Experience survey from SurveySparrow*

This introduction is engaging and personable, beginning with a warm greeting acknowledging the patron’s recent experience. It emphasizes the value of customer feedback in enhancing future experiences, creating a sense of importance and participation for the respondent, thereby encouraging honest and detailed responses.

5. Restaurant Survey Template

survey-introduction-examples — *Restaurant Customer Satisfaction Survey from SurveySparrow*

This introduction of the Restaurant Survey Template is gracious and inviting, mirroring the hospitality of a restaurant. It clearly outlines the areas of feedback (food, service, ambiance), directing the respondent’s attention to critical aspects of their experience, thereby encouraging thoughtful responses

Wrapping up

We’ve covered so many survey introduction examples which can take us to the ideal questions on how to create a proper and appealing survey. Only a short window is there to grab the attention, to hook people in so they can happily answer the survey and the questions.

Any online survey, whether sent through email, social media, or even a website, needs to grab the attention of potential respondents and create a welcoming and light environment and questionnaire introductions help with that. Because improvement for the websites, companies, and retailers will always pass through the responses, suggestions, and feedback given by the consumers and customers.

If you want your online surveys to work, you need a dedicated online survey software tool like SurveySparrow that comes with built-in survey introduction templates with questions. Feel free to give us a try.

All the above-discussed improvements are a must for every organization’s sustained growth. So, on your way to preparing a survey now? Let us know how it goes.

Survey Introduction Examples With 9 Tips That Actually Work